Simple harmonic motion exercise device

ABSTRACT

A simple harmonic motion exercise device including a pivotally rotatable handle module installed at a front stand of a base front and proximate to the top of the front stand, two pedal linkage rods pivotally coupled to the swing linkage rod, two elastically stretchable members and a parallel four-linkage rod cushion module for electrically adjusting height and position. In addition, a pull string, a pulley, and a passive flywheel are provided for inertial exercises, and an electromagnetic damping generator is installed adjacent to the flywheel for adjusting the resistance of the exercises to provide a better simple harmonic motion exercise.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Fields of the Invention

The present invention relates to the structure of a simple harmonic motion exercise device, and more particularly to the exercise device that provides excellent inertial exercises and an adjustable resistance for the exercises to gain higher practical value.

2. Description of the Related Art

The so-called “simple harmonic motion” generally refers to a motion of swinging forward, backward, leftward or rightward to a certain extent based on circumferential curvature. Compared with a full circle exercise of a general fitness bike or bicycle, the simple harmonic motion exercise is very different, and the advantage of sports equipments of this kind is to reduce the risk of mechanical sports injuries, so that such equipments are more suitable for users of different ages (particularly for elderly users) or patients with physiological illness (particularly for users having difficulties with lower limb exercises or patients with lower limb joint diseases).

The inventor of the present invention has filed a patent application Ser. No. 13/853,026 entitled “Simple harmonic exercise device structure”, and such application relates to a basic design without an additional device of a general fitness equipment for providing exercise inertia and resistance, so that further improvements are made, in hope of providing a more practical and useful product.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to add a passive flywheel, a pull string controlled and pulled by a pedal linkage rod and a pulley for rotating the flywheel and achieving the expected inertial effect of forward and reverse rotations. In addition, an electromagnetic damping generator is installed on a side of the flywheel and provided for a user to adjust an appropriate resistance for the exercise depending on the user's exercise requirements, so as to meet user requirements and gain higher practical value.

According to the invention, a simple harmonic motion exercise device includes a pivotally rotatable handle module installed at a front stand of a base front and proximate to the top of the front stand, two pedal linkage rods pivotally coupled to the swing linkage rod, two elastically stretchable members and a parallel four-linkage rod cushion module for electrically adjusting height and position. In addition, a pull string, a pulley, and a passive flywheel are provided for inertial exercises, and an electromagnetic damping generator is installed adjacent to the flywheel for adjusting the resistance of the exercises to provide a better simple harmonic motion exercise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic planar view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a motion (including the adjustment of a cushion) of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the layout of a pull string and its related pulley of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic planar view of FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 for a simple harmonic motion exercise device of a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the devices comprises a base 10, a handle module 20, two swing linkage rods 30, two pedal linkage rods 40 and two stretch linkage rods 50.

The base 10 includes a front stand 11, a central stand 12, two extension stands 13 and a rear stand 14.

The handle module 20 includes a holding transverse rod 22, and a transverse gear 21 installed at the bottom of a middle section of the transverse rod 22 and pivotally coupled to the top of the front stand 11 of the base 10.

Two swing linkage rods 30 are respectively and pivotally coupled to pivot pins 111 at corresponding positions of both sides of the front stand 11, and a longitudinal gear 31 is installed at the top of the swing linkage rod 30 and engaged with the transverse gear 21 to define a linkage relation

Two pedal linkage rods 40 are fixed to a pedal 41 and respectively and pivotally coupled to the swing linkage rod 30, and a rear end of the pedal linkage rod 40 is pivotally coupled to a corresponding stretch linkage rod 50.

Two stretch linkage rods 50 are pivotally coupled to a rear end of the pedal linkage rod 40, and a rear end of the stretch linkage rod is pivotally coupled to the rear stand 14, and an elastically stretchable member 60 is installed and coupled between the stretch linkage rod 50 and the extension stand 13.

In addition, a passive flywheel 70 is installed at a rear end of the base 10 and freely and pivotally rotated in forward and reverse directions by forces, and a reel 71 is installed separately on both sides of the flywheel 70 and a pull string 72 is wound in a reverse direction around the reel 71, and the other end of the pull string 72 is fixed to a fixed fulcrum 121 at the top of the central stand 12. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the pull string 72 is wound around a first fixed pulley 122 installed at a position adjacent to the central stand 12, and then wounded around a pedal pulley 42 installed at a position corresponding to the pedal linkage rod 40, and finally wound around a second fixed pulley 123 fixed to a side of the central stand 12. When one of the pedal linkage rods 40 is displaced by a force (particularly in a descending displacement), the pedal pulley 42 controls and pulls the pull string 72, so that the flywheel reel 71 drives the flywheel 70 to rotate. Now, the other end of the pedal linkage rod 40 is ascended, and the pull string 72 is rewound. In short, the two pedal linkage rods 40 and their corresponding pull strings 72 are linked in opposite directions to define extending and retracting linkage relation, and the flywheel 70 rotates freely in forward and reverse directions according to a force direction, so as to achieve the effect of an inertial exercise.

With the aforementioned assembly and the pivotal connection and linkage of the components as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, after a force is exerted onto the pedal 41 or the handle module 20, the longitudinal and transverse gears 31, 21 drive the handle module 20 to produce a rotation motion for an exerciser's left and right upper limbs. In the meantime, the pedal linkage rod 40 also produces a swing motion for the exerciser's lower limbs, and the elastically stretchable member 60 provides a timely appropriate restoring force, so that the exerciser can perform a simple harmonic motion of the four limbs synchronously.

When the two pedal linkage rods 40 perform the swing displacement, the two corresponding elastically stretchable members 60 are stretched and extended, so that the elastically stretchable member 60 can provide a natural restoring force all the time to return the two pedal linkage rods 40 to their original positions, and exercisers can determine their own exercise stroke and the swing amplitude, and such restoring force also serves as an auxiliary force to instantaneously change the exercise directions of the upper limbs and the alternate swings of the lower limbs to achieve smooth upper limbs rotation and lower limbs swing motion.

In order to provide an appropriate exercise resistance, an electromagnetic damping generator 80 can be installed onto the rear stand 14 and at a position adjacent to the flywheel 70 for adjusting the exercise resistance to meet the user requirement. The electromagnetic damping generator 80 of this sort is a common product widely used in the related industry, and its operating principle is a prior art, and thus will not be described in details.

In FIGS. 2 and 3, a parallel four-linkage rod cushion module 90 can be installed at a position proximate to the top of the rear stand 14 for electrically adjusting height and position, and an electric motor 93 with a lead screw 91 and an elevating pipe are provided for users to freely adjust the height of the cushion 94 to fit the users' figure and height and improve the comfort of exercise.

Many changes and modifications in the above-described embodiments of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A simple harmonic motion exercise device, comprising: a) a base, having a front stand, a central stand, two extension stands and a rear stand; b) a handle module, having a holding transverse rod, and a transverse gear installed at the bottom of a middle section of the transverse rod and pivotally coupled to the top of the front stand of the base; c) two swing linkage rods, respectively and pivotally coupled to pivot pins at corresponding positions of both sides of the front stand, and having a longitudinal gear installed at the top of the swing linkage rod and engaged with the transverse gear to define a linkage relation; d) two pedal linkage rods fixed to a pedal, and respectively and pivotally coupled to the swing linkage rod, and a rear end of the pedal linkage rod being pivotally coupled to a corresponding stretch linkage rod; e) two stretch linkage rods, pivotally coupled to a rear end of the pedal linkage rod, and a rear end of the stretch linkage rod being pivotally coupled to the rear stand, and an elastically stretchable member being installed and coupled between the stretch linkage rod and the extension stand; and f) a passive flywheel, installed at a rear end of the base, and freely and pivotally rotated in forward and reverse directions by forces, and having a reel installed separately on both sides of the flywheel and a pull string wound in a reverse direction around each reel, and the other end of the pull string being fixed to a fixed fulcrum at the top of the central stand, and the pull string being wound around a first fixed pulley installed at a position adjacent to the central stand and then wound around a pedal pulley installed at a position corresponding to the pedal linkage rod, and finally wound around a second fixed pulley fixed to a side of the central stand, thereby, when one of the pedal linkage rods is displaced by a force, the pedal pulley controls and pulls the pull string to drive the flywheel reel to rotate the flywheel, while the other end of the pedal linkage rod is being ascended and the pull string is being rewound, and the flywheel rotates freely in forward and reverse directions according to a force direction, so as to achieve the effect of an inertial exercise.
 2. The simple harmonic motion exercise device of claim 1, further comprising an electromagnetic damping generator installed at the rear stand and adjacent to the flywheel.
 3. The simple harmonic motion exercise device of claim 1, further comprising a parallel four-linkage rod cushion module at the rear stand and proximate to the top of the rear stand for electrically adjusting the height position. 